Two great shows to cheer up even the coldest nights come to Milton Keynes Theatre this week
Toyah Willcox, self-confessed ‘teenager from hell’, has clearly grown up – but it’s still hard to envisage Toyah, the rock star, writer, television presenter and serious actor of stage and screen, as a hormonal housewife. Nevertheless, next Sunday, at Milton Keynes Theatre, that is exactly who she will be!
Hormonal Housewives, a series of sketches, gags and stories would appear to be one for the girls but, Toyah says, it’s actually a great night out for all.
• Continue reading at Bedfordshire on Sunday. The article does also say there is a full interview: “Judy Riley talks to Toyah Willcox about being on tour, the show…and her iconic hair styles!” but it doesn’t seem to be available yet.
Happy Easter! It’s the end of March, and by this time in 1983 Trafford Tanzi was in residence at The Mermaid Theatre in London with Toyah in the lead role. She was also just about to start recording the album ‘Love Is The Law’. Dreamscape is Remembering 1983 all this year… here is the full set of LITL imaginary singles. Please click below to zoom.
Toyah is guesting on Justin Moorhouse’s show on BBC Radio Manchester on Monday morning.
The programme begins airing at 9am and runs for three hours through until Midday. It can be listened to live online at the BBC website, and will also be available to listen to at BBC iPlayer post broadcast.
Justin Moorhouse: BBC Radio Manchester: Monday 1st April: 9am
Justin speaks to Toyah Willcox about her latest project.
Further news reports and articles on the fire, and aftermath in King’s Heath earlier this week. To summarise; the building was detroyed beyond repair and will be demolished. The Civic Society Musical Heritage Plate and Toyah’s star both have survived the blaze, seem to be in reasonable condition and will be removed from the site today and tomorrow. (Thanks to Bob Prew)
• BBC News: Kings Heath remembers Ritz Ballroom following fire.
• Birmingham Mail: Kings Heath Walk of Stars to go ahead despite savage fire at famous former music venue: Kings Heath resident Trevor Burton, a founding member of 1960s rock band The Move, is due to be the second celebrity inducted onto the Walk in June, following Toyah Willcox.
• Leicester Bangs: Legendary gig venue destroyed in Birmingham Kings Heath fire: A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area’s musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Willcox.
• Birmingham Post: Arson suspected as fire hits Birmingham venue where The Beatles played: Kings-Heath-born Toyah Willcox was the first person to be honoured on the Kings Heath Walk of Fame which was unveiled along York Road last July. Bob Prew, who helped organise the initiative, said the plaque now lies under the building’s smouldering rubble. He said: “It’s devastating because the Ritz Ballroom was one of the major venues in the 1960s.”
• Birmingham Mail: Fire at Kings Heath venue where The Beatles once played: “The roof is totally collapsed. It’s the old Ritz Ballroom . It’s sad for Kings Heath as on Cash Converters – which has collapsed – there was a plaque for Toyah Willcox.”
• BBC News: Ex-Beatles gig venue destroyed in Kings Heath fire: A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area’s musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Willcox.
• Buzzfeed: 23 Amazing Smash Hits Covers From The ’80s: Quite clearly the greatest magazine of our time – 7. Toyah, May 1982.
• Telford & Wrekin Council: Hormonal Housewives on tour!: Hormonal Housewives are in Telford as part of their Spring Tour 2013 and you are in for a treat with this hilarious show presented by British pop icon Toyah Willcox.
• An Actor Pantos: Let’s get Critical – The Sequel: SLEEPING BEAUTY, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury: Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates were the stars and really worked hard for their billing. Willcox especially proved particularly eager to take part and was a very good baddy!
‘Fluidity and adaptability essential for business success.’
Toyah spoke passionately about her experiences in show business from a woman’s perspective. She focussed on the need to constantly adapt her image to maintain longevity and success.
Toyah described herself as a small cottage industry. She spoke about the changes in show business during an eventful thirty five year career. In particular, Toyah believes that the power of social media such as twitter and you tube, has allowed her to cultivate numerous images for significantly less money than would have been the case many years ago and that this power should be harnessed by micro firms.
• Dorset Echo: Hormonal Toyah: Following 2012’s celebrated reception as they caused mayhem and mania in theatres across the land, the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives are back in action and visiting Lighthouse in Poole on Thursday. Starring British pop icon Toyah Willcox, writer Julie Coombe, and former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley, these housewives are certainly a force to be reckoned with…
• Henley Standard: Teacher leads all-woman crew in row across Pacific: To cope with boredom, the team will bring an iPod loaded with audio books and their favourite tunes. The playlist will include Sarah’s favourites the B52s, Toyah Willcox and Pink Martini.
• Pink News: Amelia Lily to headline Northern Pride: Former X Factor singer Amelia Lily has been announced as the headline act for this year’s Northern Pride in Newcastle, along with 80s artist Toyah.
• FSB 2013: The video of Toyah’s full 45 minute appearance in Leicester on Saturday is also now available to watch at the FSB website.
Toyah talks health, touring, Bournemouth, Hormonal Housewives and more to the Bournemouth Daily Echo in an interview published Saturday.
If Toyah Willcox is describing it as ‘outrageous’, there’s a fair chance her new show, Hormonal Housewives, doesn’t fall into the realm of vanilla-coloured.
The former punk princess has never been one to happily slink under the radar. From being a rebellious teenager she morphed with astonishing fluidity into roles including huge rock icon (she’s had 13 Top 40 singles and released more than 20 albums), successful actress, writer and even Songs of Praise presenter.
On Thursday she’s coming to Lighthouse with the comedy sketch show she describes as ‘celebrating modern womanhood’.
Toyah is the cover star of the latest Journal2, the ‘North Devon Journal’ magazine. It’s likely that the accompanying interview is the one, by Rosanna Rothery, that we mentioned on Friday.
Rosanna Rothery chats to Toyah Willcox ahead of Hormonal Housewives
Hormones can wreak havoc with your life. Just ask Toyah Willcox. The singer and actor visits Barnstaple next week with the hilarious show, Hormonal Housewives.
• Read our previous post about the accompanying interview, or view it at the North Devon Journal. View a larger version of the cover here. (Thanks to Owen Jones)
Toyah addresses the audience at the Federation of Small Businesses annual conference 2013, filmed on Saturday in Leicester. Toyah talks imagery, women in business and her career.
• Take a listen to some of Tom Leon’s Toyah remixes. He has added his magic touch to a variety of Toyah’s greatest songs. These tracks are not available for download but you can listen to them online here. Tom also has a Toyah fan page. (Please note that most of the previous links I’ve posted to Tom’s tracks over the last year or so are now out of date)
• Toyah was one of the Guest Speakers at yesterday’s FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Conference 2013 in Leicester. In the past Toyah’s “speaker” gigs have mostly gone by without fanfare but yesterday a variety of photos were tweeted, Instagrammed and Facebook-ed!
• Photos of Toyah at FSB 2013 here, here and here. There’s also a short article and photo at Peter Scargill’s blog. Apparently a video of Toyah’s speech will be available online at some point too.
• Federation of Small Businesses: View Toyah’s bio at the website.
• Burning Shed: View their latest newsletter, which includes details on ‘In The Court Of The Crimson Queen’.
• It’s Slade: The documentary Toyah contributed opinions to in 1999 was repeated again on BBC Four last night. It’s now available to watch online for the next week at BBC iPlayer.
• Northern Pride 2013: Toyah plays this one day event on Saturday 20th July. View the official flyer and visit their Facebook page for regular updates.
In the Court of the Crimson Queen was Toyah’s fifteenth solo studio album
Originally released in 2008, the album title (referencing King Crimson’s debut album) was suggested by producer/co-author Simon Darlow and was endorsed by Crimso head honcho (and Toyah’s husband) Robert Fripp. “At last my husband’s done something for my career!” Toyah commented.
A powerful Bowie-esque Art Rock statement, the album was New York Good Times ‘Album Of The Year’.
This is the 2013 reissue with bonus track, 21st Century Supersister. Preorder now for 1st April shipping date
1. Sensational, 2. Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel In You), 3. Heal Ourselves, 4. Lesser God, 5. Angel In You, 6. Love Crazy, 7. Bad Man, 8. Hyperventilate, 9. Come, 10. Legacy. Bonus Track: 11. 21st Century Supersister
Toyah: Lead Vocals, Simon Darlow: Instruments, Backing Vocals, Production, Mix. Arranged and written by Toyah/Darlow. (Thanks to Brian Marsh)
Toyah is the subject of the latest “My Family Values” series in The Guardian today. A poignant interview.
The actor and singer talks about not getting on with her mother, but idolising her father
My father was having a dirty weekend in Weston-super-Mare with a woman he was engaged to when he saw my mother and fell in love with her. He pursued her for about 14 months, followed her around the country and proposed to her. He was nine years older than her when they got married, and she was pregnant immediately, aged 19, and I think she regretted it.
My early family life was incredibly happy but I was very, very protected and very much living in a bubble.
Toyah talks family life, her varied career, Hormonal Housewives and much more to Wales Online.
Toyah Willcox prepares to bring the Hormonal Housewives to Wales
From punk princess to pantomime, Shakespeare to the Teletubbies, Toyah Willcox has certainly had a diverse career. Abbie Wightwick chats to her about it and discovers why she’s happy to be hormone free
She may be appearing in Hormonal Housewives but Toyah Willcox is happy to be free of pesky monthly mood swings.
The former high priestess of punk cheerfully announces she has had a hysterectomy, been through the menopause and, as she approaches 55, has never felt better. “I had everything removed four years ago,” Toyah declares as she prepares to tour to Wales with the stage show.
Another new, Hormonal Housewives related, interview. This one from today’s North Wales Daily Post.
Toyah Willcox stars in show at Rhyl Pavilion
It’s naughty fun and guaranteed to make you “howl with laughter” according to Toyah Willcox one of the stars of a show called Hormonal Housewives on tour right now.
Former punk icon Toyah joins writer Julie Coombe, and former Hollyoaks actress Sarah Jane Buckley, in a follow-up to a much-enjoyed 2012 production which starred Margi Clark and Carol Smillie.
A new interview with Toyah, published yesterday, by the North Devon Journal.
Rosanna Rothery chats to Toyah Willcox ahead of Hormonal Housewives
Hormones can wreak havoc with your life. Just ask Toyah Willcox. The singer and actor visits Barnstaple next week with the hilarious show, Hormonal Housewives.
Throughout her thirties, the former punk icon was plagued with severe PMS. “I have not one positive thing to say about PMS,” she says with feeling. “It was a complete waste of my youth. I can’t look back and say, ‘ooh I was wonderfully creative during that period’. I wasn’t. I was frustrated. I was emotional. Probably not the best person to be near.”
For Toyah the intense monthly madness could only be described as “sheer hell”.
• Daily Cruise: Stars battle with snow: Toyah’s weather/travel woes even made it to the ‘Daily Cruise’ magazine, available onboard the QM2. Toyah Instagrammed this photo – View the full version here.
• The Hormonal Housewives sketch, mentioned yesterday, by Swindon Wyvern Theatre is also available at iTunes.
• This is Dorset: Preview: Toyah Goes Hormonal: Toyah Willcox, actress, former punk star and wife of Robert Fripp, is one of the stars of the Hormonal Housewives UK tour, coming to Poole’s Lighthouse on Thursday 28th March.
• This is Somerset/Western Gazette: Now if you fancy a giggle and a night out with the girls then you won’t want to miss the Hormonal Housewives who are back on tour and visiting The Octagon on Wednesday, March 27. The show is almost sold out so you will need to be quick to snap up those last few tickets. This year the show will star Toyah Willcox and promises a very funny evening.
• It’s A Mystery: Another cover of Toyah’s 1981 hit. This was recorded 10 years ago by Chris & Graham but has just been uploaded to You Tube.
• A full transcript of Toyah’s interview on Steve Wright’s ‘BBC Radio 2’ show is also now available to read at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.
A new interview with Toyah, from ‘Woman’s Own’ magazine.
Actress and singer Toyah, 54, reveals how her life was plagued with insomnia for 40 years before she discovered acupuncture…
You might think staying up all night is part of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, but four decades of insomnia left former punk princess Toyah sick and very tired! Last year she finally found a solution with acupuncture – just as well now she’s busy touring with the two-woman stage show Hormonal Housewives. Toyah, who lives with her husband of 26 years, musician Robert Fripp, tells us about her new zest for life…
Have you always had trouble sleeping?
Yes. It started when I was 14, triggered by the pressure of exams. I was doing revision all night and, once you’re in that stress-related pattern, it sticks. Then in my late teens it was ideal, as I was working in music and theatre, where everyone stays awake until the sun comes up!
How bad did it get?
I could go 10 days without sleeping, by which time I’d be delirious and feel very poorly. I’d get nauseous and stop functioning. I’d have an episode as bad as that about once a year. But I won’t take sleeping pills. I tried them in my twenties and found them very negative. Read more…
A new edition of Quadrophenia is released on DVD and Blu-ray next month.
Universal Pictures have commissioned new cover art for a selection of their classic and iconic titles on Blu-ray & DVD in the form of two series: Reel Heroes: superhero films reminagined in a comic-book artwork style and Screen Outlaws: which pays homage to street art and hip hop graffiti from the UK and the USA.
Release Date: 08 April 2013 Special Features: Exclusive Artwork and Artcards
Jimmy is a teenager growing up in the first half of the 1960’s; he rides through London on his scooter, pops pills, is mad about rock and roll and wears a Parka and Levis, nothing to extraordinary about that. But Jimmy’s life comes to an aggressive climax during a violent Holiday weekend controntation between Mods and Rockers on Brighton beach.
Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Michael Elphick, Toyah Willcox. Director: Franc Roddam.
Two great shows to cheer up even the coldest nights come to Milton Keynes Theatre this week
Have you always had trouble sleeping?
